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Zombie Apocalypse Rulebook
This is intended as a to supplement the Craftsmen and Chimeras Rulebook. It was last updated during '''version 2'.'' Introduction This handbook aims to describe the rules one could use to run a campaign in a modern, post-apocalyptic setting involving zombies. It is based heavily on the setting of the video game The Last of Us. This setting, while involving zombies, does not focus exclusively on them. While post-apocalyptic, there are a very large number of people left alive and uninfected. The vast majority of people are not immune to the agent that causes the zombie infection, a mutant strain of the cordyceps fungi that is capable of infecting humans. Due to the large number of people who have been left alive and uninfected, governments remain relatively intact. Cities remain centers of population, but are usually subjected to a high degree of urban decay, especially outside of a quarantine zone. Both leaving and entering a quarantine zone is difficult, though smugglers can manage it with some regularity. Rebel groups may exist. Gangs are frequent in urban areas outside of quarantine zones. Zombies, Cordyceps, and the infection As said earlier, the infection that turns humans into zombies is a mutant strain of the fungus Cordyceps. Stages of infection The infection moves through several distinct stages as it progresses. Initial infection There is a short incubation period after initial infection (usually between 24 and 48 hours) before the infected begin to display signs of infection. First stage After this incubation period, their behavior will become paranoid and aggressive. Speech abilities and fine motor dexterity will deteriorate rapidly and will be gone within about three days of infection. Hygiene will also deteriorate noticeably. At this point, the infected is capable of spreading the infection through bites. At this point, the combat abilities of the infected will strongly resemble that of an uninfected but unarmed human, though of course much less intelligent. Further, they will be very slow, and capable of moving at a light jog at the fastest. They are largely incapable of stealth, as they will frequently make groaning sounds as they shamble about. Infected of all stages are incapable of wielding any sort of weapon or performing most actions requiring any significant degree of fine motor dexterity (e.g., climbing a ladder - driving is absolutely out of the question). Zombies in this stage will be easily identified as infected, even at long distances, though they will not yet show noticeable growths of cordyceps fungus. Recommended stats: 15-21 HP, 5+item level Strength, speed 3-4. These zombies should come in groups outnumbering the party. Second stage At this point the Dungeon Master (DM) can begin taking liberties with the rulebook and is encouraged to begin creating unique types of zombies for his or her players to fight. Zombies in this stage will begin to show noticeable growths of cordyceps fungus, especially around the head (since the infection is focused on the brain). They will increase slightly in strength and toughness, and will become more dangerous to the party. Their speed is faster than that of first-stage infected, and they are able to keep up with even a sprinting unarmed human. Zombies of this stage are significantly quieter as well, and do not make noise will wandering about. Thus, they are capable of "ambushing" an unaware party. Recommended stats: 24-30 HP, 7+item level Dexterity or Strength, speed 6. These zombies should come in groups of about equal number to the party. Third stage At this stage, zombies will have significant growths of cordyceps fungus. Their faces will likely be completely obscured by fungal growths, although they remain capable of delivering very powerful bites that can infect victims. They may lose their sight and use an amplified sense of hearing or echolocation to compensate. If they do not echolocate, they will be capable of stealth, just like second-stage zombies. Zombies in this stage should not be engaged in hand-to-hand combat, as they will be far stronger than most unarmed humans, and most hand-to-hand engagements with this sort of zombie will end with the uninfected human either being killed or bitten and badly injured. They will likely move faster than most uninfected humans. Recommended stats: 24-36 HP, 12+item level Strength or Dexterity, speed 7. These zombies should come in relatively small groups, often with other types of zombies. Fourth stage At the final stage of infection, zombies will be almost completely covered with cordyceps fungus. This stage takes months to reach, and very few zombies live this long. At this point, even being near such a zombie can infect someone who is not wearing a gas mask. Zombies in this stage are absolutely lethal in hand-to-hand combat, and should absolutely never be engaged in such combat. Anyone who does so is almost certain to become infected and badly injured at best, but will usually be killed. These zombies are supremely strong, and are capable of shoving obstacles as large as vending machines about. The advanced stage of the infection, however, has slowed them down, and they are usually incapable of moving at a pace faster than walking. However, the fungal growths on their body provide protection against attack, making these zombies slow but deadly brutes. It is recommended to give this sort of zombie some manner of attacking from range to make up for its slow speed, though these attacks should not be nearly as lethal as its melee attacks. Encounters with these zombies should usually be avoidable, and being attacked by one is a very potent punishment for botching a stealth situation or an escape, especially if one corners the players in a small space. Recommended stats: 42-60 HP, 20+item level Strength, speed 2-4. Cordyceps The cordyceps fungus has a distinctive look - a DM should be familiar with it in order to better describe growths of cordyceps to the players. In areas with large growths of cordyceps (for it can grow not only in living creatures but also on the environment) will be easily identifiable because the air will be filled with fungal spores (which are highly visible in any dangerous amount). Thus, players finding themselves in such an area should have a gas mask unless they want to risk becoming infected. Such areas are likely to be home to corpses of deceased zombies, which will be absolutely riddled with fungal growths, as well as still-living zombies. Equipment This is a modern setting, although the scarcity of guns and ammunition means players will still engage in a fair degree of melee (including unarmed) combat. Scaling via item level may be greatly slowed or virtually eliminated in this campaign. Armor "Type A" armors are basic clothing. All players start with Type A armor. Type B and C armors are light and ' heavy body armor', respectively. Type D armors are bulletproof armors. Basic clothing should have item level greater than 0, and the other sorts of armors should never have an item level item level less than 1. Examples of these sorts of armors at item level 0 follow. Weapons Most weapons will be improvised weapons. The properties of these will be assigned by the DM. Generally, players will not have any one weapon for very long (as a rule of thumb, most improvised weapons should last for an encounter or two, and most actual weapons should only last for a session or two). At this point, an improvised weapon will be destroyed or rendered mostly useless, or an actual weapon will be damaged beyond usefulness until repaired. Weapons list Weapon type Hit die Acc. mod. Range Clip size Keywords Display Katana 1d10 0 1 - Versatile, Main-handed Pistol 2d6 +1 1-15 12 Light, One-handed, Reload minor Revoler 2d10 0 1-20 6 Light, Main-handed, Reload standard Shotgun* 4d4 0 2-15 2 Light, Two-handed, Reload standard Sawed-off Shotgun* 4d4 0 1-10 2 Light, Two-handed, Reload standard Hunting Rifle 3d12 +2 10-30 2 Light, Two-handed, Reload standard Assault Rifle 3d4 0 2-15 10 Light, Two-hande, Reload minor Hunting Bow 2d6 +1 8-20 1 Light, Two-handed, Reload minor Category:Setting rulebooks